United Nations Public Service Awards Case Studies

Center for Technology and Development (CETED) is a non governmental organisation dedicated to the cause of sustainable development in India through transfer of Cost-Effective Energy-Efficient and Environment-Friendly (CEEF) technology since 1991. It has emerged as a model delivery system at the grassroot level for the transfer of technology from ‘lab to land’.

CETED’s focus is on the development of CEEF technology products and processes and mounting advocacy functions for their acceptance. It promotes eco-friendly options in housing, agriculture, water management, health and food, transportation, industry, tourism and other related spheres through its integrating units in the non government and governmental sectors.

CETED’S development model, the “AB model” named after its founder, is characterised by people’s participation, inclusiveness, voluntarism, private-public- partnership and sustainability. Tried, tested and found to be effective during the last two decades, this development model covers areas as vastly different as housing, environmental conservation, application of Science and technology, poverty alleviation, water management, social justice and empowerment, capacity building, women’s development, employment generation, social security, labour welfare, transparent governance, tourism, and youth affairs. Implemented over the years by Government, Non Governmental Organisations and local bodies, the projects under this model have been evaluated by independent agencies as Best Practices and recognised as such by institutions such as the UN Habitat and Government of India.

The achievements of CETED include the following:
• upto 40% cost reduction has been achieved in construction of houses
• Exploitative contracting system has been contained
• 213,000 persons trained in CEEF technology every year
• Government has modified policies, and industry its processes, media their preferences, and planners their priorities favouring CEEF technology.
• Through awareness generation and capacity building, the public are oriented to environment friendly living through organic farming, community health care, disease prevention.
• Publications in the vernacular on eco-friendly technology and awareness generation campaigns among women and youth are undertaken regularly.
• Research is carried out in developing traditional knowledge and heritage science which suit the way of living ideal to the region.

Eco-friendly technology which was confined to research institutions is steadily flowing to the field. A new generation has been groomed up who are oriented towards an environment friendly way of life, minimizing chemicals and energy intensive industrial products. Health care has improved through nature friendly medication and curative approaches. The message of CEEF technology accepted by all stakeholders like government, municipalities, industry, research institutions and the public. Over a period of more than 15 years the CETED’s mission has proved its sustainability and replicability.

Today CETED has come to stay as a major catalyst in sustainable development through the application of appropriate technology in different walks of life. It has been able to establish dynamic partnerships between governmental and non-governmental organizations to carry forward the mission of transfer of technology for sustainable development.

What is the initiative about? (the solution)
Center for Technology and Development (CETED) is a non governmental organisation dedicated to the cause of sustainable development in India through transfer of Cost-Effective Energy-Efficient and Environment-Friendly (CEEF) technology since 1991. It has emerged as a model delivery system at the grassroot level for the transfer of technology from ‘lab to land’. CETED’s focus is on the development of CEEF technology products and processes and mounting advocacy functions for their acceptance. It promotes eco-friendly options in housing, agriculture, water management, health and food, transportation, industry, tourism and other related spheres through its integrating units in the non government and governmental sectors. CETED’S development model, the “AB model” named after its founder, is characterised by people’s participation, inclusiveness, voluntarism, private-public- partnership and sustainability. Tried, tested and found to be effective during the last two decades, this development model covers areas as vastly different as housing, environmental conservation, application of Science and technology, poverty alleviation, water management, social justice and empowerment, capacity building, women’s development, employment generation, social security, labour welfare, transparent governance, tourism, and youth affairs. Implemented over the years by Government, Non Governmental Organisations and local bodies, the projects under this model have been evaluated by independent agencies as Best Practices and recognised as such by institutions such as the UN Habitat and Government of India. The achievements of CETED include the following: • upto 40% cost reduction has been achieved in construction of houses • Exploitative contracting system has been contained • 213,000 persons trained in CEEF technology every year • Government has modified policies, and industry its processes, media their preferences, and planners their priorities favouring CEEF technology. • Through awareness generation and capacity building, the public are oriented to environment friendly living through organic farming, community health care, disease prevention. • Publications in the vernacular on eco-friendly technology and awareness generation campaigns among women and youth are undertaken regularly. • Research is carried out in developing traditional knowledge and heritage science which suit the way of living ideal to the region. Eco-friendly technology which was confined to research institutions is steadily flowing to the field. A new generation has been groomed up who are oriented towards an environment friendly way of life, minimizing chemicals and energy intensive industrial products. Health care has improved through nature friendly medication and curative approaches. The message of CEEF technology accepted by all stakeholders like government, municipalities, industry, research institutions and the public. Over a period of more than 15 years the CETED’s mission has proved its sustainability and replicability. Today CETED has come to stay as a major catalyst in sustainable development through the application of appropriate technology in different walks of life. It has been able to establish dynamic partnerships between governmental and non-governmental organizations to carry forward the mission of transfer of technology for sustainable development.

Who proposed the solution, who implemented it and who were the stakeholders?
1998 - CETED inducted as principal implementing agency for the project ‘Transfer of technology for sustainable development- the AB Model’. CETED launches ‘Project Water Save’ for water conservation. 1999 - Establishes Integrating units through government, industry, R&D units and universities. 500 earthquake resistant houses built using CEEF technology. 2001 - Represented at the Special session of UN General Assembly on Habitat. Establishes Youth Assemblies for training youth in environmental conservation. 2003 - CETED’s Project Water Save – The A B Model selected as finalist of the Energy Globe Award, Linz, Austria. 2004 - CETED project “Technology Transfer for sustainable Development – AB model “ selected as finalist of the Bremen Partnership Award. Launches operation ‘Green Shield’ project in schools and colleges to propagate habitat forestry. 2005 - CETED’s study and research project on habitats of the world completed after field visits to 30 countries. Publishes series of books in vernacular on traditional architecture, ethnic science and low cost technology. 2006 - CETED and its networks organize international exhibition and conference on sustainable development at Kochi, Kerala. Joins hands with government in providing low cost houses to rehabilitate the survivors of Tsunami.

Describe how and when the initiative was implemented by answering these questions
a. What were the strategies used to implement the initiative? In no more than 500 words, provide a summary of the main objectives and strategies of the initiative, how they were established and by whom.
The southern state of India, Kerala, hailed as “God’s own country” because of its scenic beauty, is beset with problems of poverty and deprivation, inadequacy of basic amenities and poor quality of life. However, the state is totally literate and people, by and enlarge, have fairly well developed scientific attitudes. Many popular movements have come up in the state which stimulated scientific thinking and approach in society. It is in this backdrop that Centre for Technology and Development (CETED) was established in 1991 to conceptualize and implement appropriate development models in the community through the application of science and technology. Since then CETED has been able to make perceptible changes in society through a series of projects and programmes which have come to be known as “Project AB model”. The situation before the project was characterized by the glaring mismatch between technology generation and dissemination for the benefit of the poor. With 30% of India’s population living below the poverty line, cost-effective technology emerged as the potential solution to their problems, especially in housing, agriculture and healthcare. At the time of launching the project there was gross inadequacy of a delivery system for the dissemination of technology from ‘lab to land’. Attitudinal problems of a section of the tradition bound rural society reluctant to accept the application of science and technology in its life style compounded the issue. Inadequacy of enabling governmental policies and legislation, Inadequate financial resources, Inadequate media involvement in promoting a scientific approach in society and Inadequacy of trained man power and human resource competencies acted as bottlenecks in the transfer of appropriate technology in the society. It was in this juncture that heavy floods struck the costal regions of Kerala rendering thousands of people home less. It was necessary to rehabilitate the flood victims in a time bound manner. Government did not have adequate resources to construct houses in such a large number. The District Collector of Kollam, Kerala came up with the concept of Nirmithi Kendras (Building Centres), an institutional mechanism to construct houses using cost-effective and environment friendly (CEEF) technologies developed by the Research and Development institutions in India. Spurred by the success of this initiative provincial and national governments, municipal administrations and non-governmental organizations started setting up grass rot level agencies for the dissemination of appropriate technology in different walk of life. In 1991 the Centre for Technology and Development was established to provide co-ordinated leadership for the movement for transfer technology for sustainable development. Eventually all the stake-holders of the movement joined together and selected CETED as principle implementing agency for the project-‘ Transfer of technology for Sustainable Development – Project AB model’

b. What were the key development and implementation steps and the chronology? No more than 500 words
The priorities of the project are the following: 1. Poverty alleviation and improvement of the quality of living. 2. Establishing appropriate delivery systems at the grassroot level for the transfer of appropriate technology. 3. Establishing dynamic partnership among government, non-governmental organizations, R&D Institutions and industry for the development of eco-friendly and cost-effective products and processes. 4. Capacity building among the weaker sections of society, especially women. The priorities were established after wide consultations among the stakeholders especially women’s organizations, youth organizations, educational institutions, research bodies, local authorities, provincial government and Community Based Organizations. The main purposes of the project are a. To disseminate cost-effective and appropriate technology in society. b. To provide self-employment opportunities and develop entrepreneurship. c. To integrate like-minded institutions with CETED so as to form an effective network. d. To ensure active involvement of women so as to counter gender bias.

c. What were the main obstacles encountered? How were they overcome? No more than 500 words
The strategy adopted for the achievement of the objectives was to network with reputed institutions which would serve as integrating units of CETED and disseminate appropriate technology at the field level. Women’s centers were established to ensure active participation of women in technology transfer and income generation. The following Strategies were adopted for overcoming the problems faced in the field • Institutions, CBOs and NGOs with strong moorings at the grass root level were networked to provide an effective delivery system for transfer of technology. • Awareness generation programmes were launched through women’s organizations, youth clubs, educational institutions, NGOs and CBOs. • Actively participated in the total literacy campaign and the literacy mission movement for the spread of literacy in the urban and rural areas, especially among women. • Mounted sustained advocacy campaigns in association with NGO partners and the media which lead to enabling policy changes and legislative measures. • Financial requirements were largely met through voluntary contributions and voluntary services backed up by proceeds from consultancy and project management, donations from philanthropic organizations and projectised financial support from Government and external funding agencies. • Media support was enlisted for social education. • Volunteers from among teachers, women, youth and NGOs were trained as trainers and deployed in the field. In spite of the steady progress made by CETED over the years, problems such as limitation of financial resources, inadequacy in the reach and spread of the campaign, attitudinal problems of a section of the people, regional variations in the acceptance rate of appropriate technology and exploitative commercial and market interests which push up high cost products, illiteracy and poverty still remain to be addressed in sustained manner. Voluntarism and people’s participation are the keystones of the movement. Nattukkoottams (people’s committees) decide priorities and supervise implementation at the field level. Regular programmes like ‘file to field’, bring together, government and non governmental organizations and the beneficiaries to jointly plan and execute locally relevant programmes in CEEF technology. Periodic assessment is done through appropriate management information systems, social audit, peer level assessment, concurrent monitoring and evaluation by independent agencies and the government. Technical assistance was received from the premier research institutions in India such as the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Regional Research Laboratories, Indian Institutes of Technology, Birla Institute of Technology and Science – Pilani, Department of Science and Technology, Central Building Research Institute – Roorkie. Technical support received relate to low cost housing, bio-faming, alternate energy, sanitation, water conservation, carbon sequestration, food processing, waste water management. So far, CETED’s activities concentrated on technology transfer in agriculture and human settlement development. Hencefore CETED strategy will be to focus on non conventional energy, sustainable land use and waste management, food and health. The out put expected are dissemination of renewable energy technologies in industry and appliances, eco-restoration of degraded land and popularisation of environmentally sound waste management methods, municipal solid waste management, marketing of recycled products, dissemination of food processing and preservation technology and development of new standardised health care products and food supplements.

d. What resources were used for the initiative and what were its key benefits? In no more than 500 words, specify what were the financial, technical and human resources’ costs associated with this initiative. Describe how resources were mobilized
A network of institutions has been established to transfer technology developed by premier research institutions in agriculture, housing, healthcare and other areas. • Governments have been moved to pass legislation and adopt policy decisions, favouring technology transfer. • Effective linkage has been established among the research bodies and industries to promote CEEF technology. • Curriculum of universities have been modified giving importance to eco-friendly technologies. • Poverty alleviation, employment generation and gender mainstreaming are facilitated. • Through awareness generation and capacity building, the public are oriented to environment friendly living through organic farming, community health care and disease prevention. • Publications in the vernacular on eco-friendly technology and outreach programmes among women and youth undertaken regularly. • Research is carried out in developing traditional knowledge and heritage science which suit the way of living ideal to the region. • The use of CEEF technology reduces construction cost by 40%. India constructs one million houses every year using CEEF technology. • Middlemen have been eliminated through direct transfer of technology and services, increasing accessibility to low cost technology and availability of supervisory skill in the locality. • Earthquake resistant houses are built using this technology. • Production centres for CEEF products established in all the districts in India. • Increased employment opportunities, especially for women and consequent poverty reduction. • Reduction of disease from eco-hostile products and way of living. • Carbon sequestration and management facilitated. • Increased priority by local governments for CEEF technology projects in their plan. National, provincial and local governments have facilitated this initiative through policy changes and legislative measures. 1. The Government of India have amended the national building code to promote cost-effective building construction. 2. The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) has adopted the CEEF technology in its construction practices. 3. Monetary incentives such as tax exemptions and rebates have been introduced for CEEF technology applications. 4. Organic and bio farming are encouraged in the national policies of government of India and the Planning Commission has earmarked substantial funds to promote the same in the voluntary sector. 5. Environmental Conservation Act has been suitably amended promoting CEEF strategies. 6. Legislations have been passed by the National Parliament and provincial assemblies preventing pollution and ensuring pollution control. 7. Council for scientific and industrial research have given priority to develop and promote CEEF technologies for the benefit of the common man. 8. Universities have changed their curriculum and introduced new courses for the promotion of CEEF technology. 9. The Department of Science and technology of the Government of India and the provincial governments provide financial and technical support for the promotion of research in CEEF technology. The university grants commission has announced its policy to promote habitat and environment education at the university level.

Is the initiative sustainable and transferable?
Sustainability The CETED network has been able to propagate appropriate technology in agriculture, housing, healthcare, food processing, and water management consistently for the last 15 years through appropriate delivery systems. Institutional mechanism for training of trainers have been established in all districts and training is going on in a sustained manner. Capacity building has been undertaken in women and their empowerment made effective by establishing women’s centres. Pro active steps taken to ensure environmental sustainability include legislative policy and regulatory measures by government, empowerment of communities to resist commercial interests from degrading the environment, environment education among women, manufacturing and distribution of environment-friendly materials and products and sector specific measures such as eco-friendly house construction, propagation of energy-efficient materials in place of energy intensive materials such as cement and steel, organic farming, methods and processes for carbon sequestration and management and social awareness and education. Financial sustainability of the project has been achieved through community management and collection of user fee. Voluntary participation and services of people, internal generation of surplus through optimal execution of projects, beneficiary participation in the decision-making processes and efficient financial management are the hallmarks of the project AB models. Aware of the fact that the introduction of alternative technology and practices would find acceptance only if it is in keeping with the cultural preferences of the people, CETED has dovetailed its activities with the thinking, customs and behavioral patterns of society. For this, selection of technology generated by R&D institutions is done locally in consultation with beneficiaries and community leaders. Nattukkoottams (people committees) have to endorse technology adoption before it is disseminated in the field. Government’s initiatives in introducing the concept of appropriate technology through its agencies, policies and programmes and reorienting existing institutions to enable the promotion of such technologies, coupled with the institutional network created with NGOs have made the CETED institutionally sustainable. Transferability The CETED model has been replicated by more than 200 institutions which became integrated units of CETED for the propagation of science and technology in different spheres. These include universities, industrial units, R&D institutions and NGOs. Joint research with CETED is undertaken by premier R&D institutions. The CETED model has inspired joint efforts among NGOS leading to policy changes, legislative measures, and governmental incentives favouring the promotion of cost effective and appropriate technology. Replication of the model has lead to the realization that instead of insular and isolated attempts by different organisations working for similar objectives, coordinated efforts are more effective. Transfer of the CETED model is encouraged only on a selective basis as a complete replication of a successful model is not desirable, as context specific initiatives based on the felt needs of the beneficiaries alone will succeed. CETED model is used as a facilitator, catalyst and sign post for the guidance of other willing NGOs and governmental agencies.

What are the impact of your initiative and the lessons learned?
When the project was launched there was a perceptible gap between generation and dissemination of technology in India. The Research and Development institutions had developed a plethora of appropriate technology which are cost-effective and environment friendly; but there was no mechanism to transfer the technology to the end user. Even government was resorting to high cost and energy intensive technology in its own construction and other activities. There was little or no public awareness about the beneficial aspects of appropriate technology. There was no delivery system at the grass root level to ensure the steady flow of technology from lab to land. There was near total absence of legislative or policy backup to nurture, promote and propagate cost effective and environment-friendly technology in different activities of people’s life. These difficulties were overcome by CETED and its network partners through sustained awareness campaigns, motivating women and youth, establishing delivery systems at grass root level, enlisting media support for social education, influencing government policies through adequacy function and ensuring people’s participation in the community through technology transfer. The major lessons learned from the project are that poverty and economic deprivation in India can be contained to a very large extent through judicious application of cost effective technology alternatives. Lack of an effective delivery system for the transfer of technology is the most retarding factor in the process of development through the application of science and technology. In a tradition bound and convention ridden pluralistic society people’s involvement and social education should precede social and attitudinal changes. Organisations and movements should be rooted in the felt needs of the community or the beneficiaries and cannot be imposed from outside. Substantial changes in attitude can be brought about only by taking the women in confidence. Technology transfer can be effective only if supported by enabling government policies, legislative measures and reorientation of governmental departments and agencies. Spread of literacy is essential for the spread of scientific attitude transcending deep rooted superstitions and negative mind sets. The project has demonstrated how, energy-efficient and eco-friendly technologies can be disseminated in society. Adoption of these technologies by Government of India lead to the construction of one million houses. 21,000 artisans have been trained, 28 women’s centres set up, organic farming promoted, employment opportunities for women increased through technology-based micro enterprises. Its environmental and energy implication is demonstrated in the recycling of agro industrial waste as building material, carbon-locking in plantation wood used for construction, non-conventional energy and rainwater harvesting. Public awareness about appropriate and eco-friendly technology needs to be maintained and stepped up. Indigenous technology needs scientific up gradation and integration with local requirements before their application on a wider scale. Efforts are now to be focused on renewable energy technologies for power generation, local clean energy initiatives for poverty alleviation, energy efficient practices and products in industries, de toxification of polluted soil through microbes; bio remediation and phyto remediation of saline and alkaline soils, remote sensing and GIS, and indigenous technology for food processing and preservation.


Institution Name:		Centre for Technology and Development
Institution Type:		Non-Governmental Organization
Contact Person:		Ananda Bose
Title:		Advisor
Telephone/ Fax:		+91-22-23692430
Institution's / Project's Website:		+91-22-22846213
E-mail:		cvabose@rediffmail.com
Address:		9A, Zerlina, Little Gibbs Road, Malabar Hill
Postal Code:		400006
City:		Mumbai
State/Province:		Maharashtra
Country:		India

The Problem

Solution and Key Benefits

Actors and Stakeholders

(a) Strategies

(b) Implementation

(c) Overcoming Obstacles

(d) Use of Resources

Sustainability and Transferability

Lessons Learned

Contact Information